


Son of the Raging Tide

by RebelFanja



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Facing Your Fears, RoleReversal, Roleswap, but idk what else to put, elementswap, this doesn't feel like enough tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 07:47:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23347915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelFanja/pseuds/RebelFanja
Summary: (AU) Kai was always happy to let his sister and their friends go on adventures and fight evil while he stayed home and kept an eye on the Bounty. Being a ninja just wasn’t his thing. But when Lloyd is taken hostage by a jealous ghost and the ninja’s powers are stolen away on a breath of wind, it may be up to Kai to finally master an element of his own – the most terrifying element of all.
Comments: 25
Kudos: 78





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this story sitting in my files for way too long, it's time I finally published it. Since it's another one of my short stories, I'll be posting a new chapter every day until it's done. I've also got some other shorts on my FFN account that, for some reason, I never posted here, so I think I'll start adding those after I finish this one. 
> 
> I've always loved the idea that both of Kai and Nya's personalities are a mix of fire and water, and even though they may appear to be more like one than the other, they could have been born with either element. That's the cool thing about this family, it's your stereotypical FireTypeXWaterType trope, but it's their kids who are the main characters. And their kids are a perfect blend between both of them. Also I thought it would be fun to watch Kai try to master an element he's terrified of so yeah XP Enjoy!

Kai sighed as he stood in the doorway of the disheveled tea shop, taking in the damage. There was hardly anything left on the shelves anymore, all the jars and teapots strewn across the floor alongside shattered porcelain bits. It was one of those times when he almost envied his sister and their friends. Most of the time, he was content to stay behind and leave the world-saving stuff to them. His place was at the forge, providing weapons that they could kick butt and protect themselves with. And yet, that also meant that he was often left with cleaning duty.

But this time . . . this time Lloyd was in danger. That kid had become like a little brother to Kai, and Kai couldn't stand the idea of him being possessed by that ghastly ghost with a grudge. This time, having to stay behind was almost too much to bear.

Taking another deep breath, Kai released the door frame from the iron grip of his anger. If he busied himself with fixing up the tea shop, then maybe it would get his mind off things and he wouldn't have to worry so much.

He approached the shelves on the back wall and went to work setting some of the stock back in their places. But his attention was taken again as Misako and Sensei Wu approached from behind.

"Kai," Misako started gently. "We didn't exactly bring you back to care for the shop."

He paused, turning back to them. "Then, what did you bring me back for . . . ?" What else was there for him to do? The wrecked shop seemed to be the most important thing right now. At least, the most important thing that he could actually help with.

Misako and Sensei Wu exchanged a look before Sensei heaved a sigh and began hesitantly, "There's something I haven't told you about your parents."

Kai waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, I know. Chen said something like that to Nya, too." Back when Master Chen had hosted the Tournament of Elements, Nya had been thrilled to meet another female ninja. Kai had been thrilled, too, when he first saw Skylor, but she had been too busy trying to save the world to notice him much. But Nya and Skylor had become fast friends, and when the ninja were captured by Chen, Nya used her leverage with his daughter to get on the inside and sabotage his plans. Chen had tried persuading Nya to join forces with him by saying that he knew secrets about her and Kai's parents, but it was mostly just more lies.

"We already looked into it," Kai explained as he went back to work, returning everything that wasn't broken back to the shelves. "We found out that Dad was the Master of Fire, but that didn't come as much of a surprise."

"But," Misako interjected, "did you know that your mother was the Master of Water?"

Kai paused, a glass jar in his hands. "I – what?" He turned to face them again, his attention finally caught. Then it dawned on him what they must be trying to say. "Wait, then that means . . ."

Sensei Wu nodded. "Yes. As Nya took on the traits of your father to become a fire ninja, for the sake of saving Ninjago, you must train to become a Master of Water."

Glass shattered as the jar slipped out of Kai's hands, but he barely noticed.

Water? The most uncontrollable and deadly force in the world? With its violent waves and raging currents that could suck a person into its depths, never to be seen or heard from again? And he was supposed to –?

Kai could have sworn the room was swaying. All of a sudden, he felt dizzy. Pieces of memory saturated his thoughts, of darkness and cold and hopelessness. Kai's breath caught in his throat as a single thought drowned out all others: Don't breath in.

Darkness took over and he blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2

"Your training to become the Master of Water begins now."

Kai stood at the edge of the little pool behind the tea shop, the water lapping at his feet. The waterfall thundered down the cliffside nearby, pounding in his ears until it seemed to be the only thing he could hear. It had never bothered him before, but that was because he hadn't been expected to _control_ it before.

At first, Kai had been adamantly against learning to become the Master of Water. But the only thing driving him forward now was the thought of Lloyd in peril, and the fact that he might be the only one who could save him. Still, Kai had no idea how he was going to convince himself to get into the water, let alone master it.

"To become water," Sensei Wu was saying from beside him, "you must find its qualities within yourself. While earth is strong and air is fluid, water can be both strong and fluid."

Kai frowned. He didn't think he was anything like water. At least, when he thought of his mother, he didn't think he resembled her in any way that she resembled water. Patient and calm, composed and even-tempered. But water could also be harsh and vengeful, oppressive and unforgiving. His frown deepened. No, his mother couldn't have been like water, either.

Sensei gestured to the stones in the pool as he continued. "Over time, it's strong enough to carve this rock. Or if I use my cup to stop it's flow, it can adapt." Sensei Wu bent and scooped up a cupful of water. "It's flexible. Shapeless. You put water in a cup, it becomes the cup. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Be water, Kai." As he said this, he simultaneously poured the water from the cup into his teapot.

Kai could understand that particular characteristic of water, how it fit into any shape it was transferred to. But Kai didn't consider himself so fluid. For instance, he did not much appreciate _this_ new change.

"Maybe you're wrong, Sensei. I mean, if I was really a water ninja, don't you think we would have noticed by now?"

"Did _you_ notice that your sister was a Master of Fire before she learned to harness her powers?" Sensei asked.

Kai sighed. "Okay, you got me there. But, come on, Sensei. Water? Really? Are you sure there can't just be two fire masters or something?"

"No, Kai. We don't need another fire master. Your friends need _you_. Besides . . . water is the only weapon against a ghost. For though they can pass through solid objects, they cannot pass through what never stands still. What's flexible to us is rigid to them. And since the ninja no longer have their elemental powers, it is all but imperative that you 'go with the flow.' To find your full potential, you must learn to overcome what makes you weak. For in your weakness –"

"Lies strength, yeah, I know. You make it sound so easy. But it's not that simple. I'm not just _scared_ of the water, I'm . . . petrified." He glanced at the pond and shivered. It may have been a shallow pond, but it was just a small copy of something much larger and much more dangerous.

"You must learn to identify with water, Kai. Find its qualities reflected in yourself. You must become as one. Besides, if you learn to control the water, what reason will you have to fear it?"

_But what if I can't learn to control it?_ Kai thought. _Or what if I lost control at the worst possible moment?_ Kai shook his head to clear these thoughts away. What was his deal? He wasn't used to being this anxious. Usually he had no difficulty confronting his problems, even things that scared him. But just the thought of having to work so closely with the water made his hands shake and his breaths short.

Kai clenched his fists to keep them still. He took a deep breath.

Sensei Wu waded into the shallow pool. "Come. Surely this pond doesn't scare you?"

"No," Kai growled. To prove it, he waded in after Sensei Wu, until the water reached halfway up his shins.

"Very good, Kai. Now follow me." Sensei Wu waded deeper into the pond, and Kai stubbornly followed. The water slowly rose, lapping hungrily around his legs.

_Come on, Kai, get a hold of yourself,_ he scolded. _No one ever drowned wading through a puddle like this._

_Right?_

Sensei Wu stopped in front of the twin waterfalls that fed the pond. He turned to face Kai. "I want you to stand under this waterfall."

_There is no way –_

_– that I am going to let something as dumb as water decide what I can and can't do._

Kai steeled himself before marching up to the waterfall. He hesitated. He extended a tentative hand and let the water flow over his palm. It was chillingly cold.

"Don't think about it, Kai," came Sensei Wu's calm voice from behind him. "Thought only gives way to more fear. Let the stream wash your worry away. Remember, I'm right here."

Kai took a deep breath, then plunged into the waterfall. He braced himself against the rock face as ice cold water drummed over his head and back. He resisted the urge to immediately bolt back out.

_Don't be such a coward!_ he told himself. _Do it for Lloyd! Do it for Nya, and Cole and Zane and Jay . . ._

But even though the water ran clear of his mouth and nose, Kai couldn't seem to breathe. Or maybe he was breathing, but his breathes were so ragged, and short that he wasn't really getting any air. He felt like the weight of the waterfall was trying to push him down until he couldn't stand and it would drown him in the shallow pool. Even though the pressure wasn't really that strong, Kai stood his ground as if he really was fighting the waterfall in a test of strength.

" _You_ control the water, Kai," Sensei's voice called again over the rushing falls. "Relax. Don't let it control you."

But Kai could barely hear him, much less focus on anything, as panic was already whispering in his ear.

_No no no nonono –_

Kai shoved himself away from the rock wall and emerged dripping wet and gasping for air. He felt physically exhausted and had to double over with his hands on his knees. He was trembling, but whether it was from cold, exertion, or fear, he couldn't be sure.

_I'm no hero,_ he thought bitterly. _I'm no ninja._

He felt Sensei Wu's firm hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Sensei. I can't do it."

"That's alright, Kai. You did your best."

Kai made himself stand up straight again and let Sensei Wu lead him back through the pond to the tea shop.

More than anything, Kai was angry with himself for being so powerless in the face of his greatest fear. If Cole could overcome his fear of dragons, or Nya her fear of failing, then why couldn't he overcome his fear of water?

The answer was obvious, even if Sensei Wu wanted to deny it: Clearly, Kai wasn't cut out to be a ninja.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, it feels good to write a nice Sensei Wu for once lol. Although I don't know if it was kind of extreme for him to have Kai do that, but you know, sometimes exposure to your fears is supposed to help. Don't blame Sensei, I'm just improvising here.
> 
> One thing I forgot to mention, I know that a lot of the plot for Season 5 would probably change a lot without Nya being the water ninja, but this is just a short story that focuses on specific moments of Kai's journey to accept his element, so I won't be trying to make sense of everything that would be different. We'll just have to pretend that, somehow, everything works out in the same way.


	3. Chapter 3

One of Kai’s most vivid memories from childhood was of the time he’d nearly drowned.

His family had taken a trip they’d been planning for months down to the beach. He hadn’t known how to swim yet, but he didn’t think that getting his toes wet could be so dangerous. He was just trying to wade into the shallows, but before he knew it, the tide had latched on to him and yanked him under.

Kai had just enough time to suck in a lungful of air before he was dragged under the waves. He flailed his arms, trying to gain some purchase as the ocean closed over his head, but the current spun him this way and that until he didn’t even know where the surface might be anymore. Rocks grazed his elbows and knees as he was battered against the seabed. He tried desperately not to let out any air until the current finally let up and he bobbed back to the surface for just a moment.

It was long enough for him to take another deep breath, but in the next instant, a second wave dunked him under, and this time a bit of seawater got into his mouth.

His mouth snapped shut and he held his breath like he would hold to the edge of a cliff. For a few, long moments, the only thing he could think about was fighting the urge to breathe.

Kai’s back struck against something hard and let out a few air bubbles. He felt like he wouldn’t be able to hold on any longer until the current released him and he broke the surface again.

This time he tried to scream for help, but another wave was fast coming and he only had just enough time to breathe in again before it shoved him back down. He had a brief moment of hope that someone would notice he was missing. Then the thought struck him that his parents might _not_ notice in time. He could die out here and no one would know until it was too late.

A sense of terror and helplessness washed over him as the current tugged him this way and that like a ragdoll. He resurfaced once again, took a deep breath, and was under once more before he could blink the water from his eyes.

But then the current shifted direction and pulled him along with it. It dragged him over the ground until his head finally broke the surface again. He gasped, but instead of going back under, he found himself back on the sand. He held his breath when a new wave came towards him, but this was much smaller and only washed over his knees.

“Kai!”

He was too shocked to look around or try to stand up. He stared at the waves, still thinking about how close he had come to dying. His eyes were glued to the gently rolling waves, unable to understand what had saved him when suddenly his mother was in front of him, cupping his face in her hands.

“Mom?” he whispered hoarsely.

“Shh, just breathe, sweetie. Breathe.”

His breath was coming in short, hitched gasps and he realized that he was shaking all over. His mother helped him to his feet and led him further up the shore a ways before letting him collapse back to the ground, now out of reach of the waves.

“Is he okay?” His father ran over to meet them, and Kai could hear his own fear reflected in his father’s voice.

“He’s breathing, but he’s in shock. Call an ambulance, quick.” His father ran off without another word. “Not you, Nya,” his mother said. “Stay here.”

Kai couldn’t process much of what was going on, it was all pushed aside by one prevailing thought that was stuck in his mind like the sand stuck to his skin: he’d nearly died out there, all alone. And no matter how hard he had fought, he’d been powerless to save himself.

As Kai shivered on the beach, his mother drew him close, talking softly. “It’s alright, baby. It’s over, you’re safe now.”

Kai suddenly became aware of how cold he was and curled up closer to her. She felt warm and steady, comforting. Nothing like the unforgiving ocean.


	4. Chapter 4

Kai paused at the open doorway to Cole's room on the _Bounty_. Cole sat on the end of his bed, his back turned to Kai. The team had recently returned from Yang's Temple with some grim news. They had gotten the scroll of Airjitzu, but at a price.

Now Cole was green and he glowed and technically, he was dead. Kai could see right through him, as if his friend was an illusion that would disappear with one wrong move. Kai had never known his friend to seem so fragile before. He was, quite literally, unearthly.

Kai knocked on the doorway to announce his presence. "How you feeling, Cole?"

"In case you haven't heard, I'm a ghost," Cole said bitterly. He balled his hands into fists, fists that were usually strong enough to pickup cars and punch through walls, but now passed through everything like the wind through the trees.

Kai walked slowly closer, wondering if he should try to make a joke out of it, but it was probably too soon for that.

"And don't tell me we can fix this, 'cause we can't." Cole reached out for a teacup in front of him, but his fingers passed uselessly through it. "This is just . . . who I am now." He flopped onto his back. "I don't _feel_ anything anymore."

Kai's heart twisted with empathy, and he suddenly realized that his idea to try and cheer Cole up might have been a terrible one. "Can you still taste anything . . . ?" he asked hesitantly.

Cole turned his head, finally noticing the plate of cupcakes that Kai was holding.

"Brought these from the tea shop. I thought . . . they were supposed to help . . ."

Cole sat up and Kai sat down beside him, not really sure what to do with the cupcakes now. He set them next to teacup.

"Even if I could pick it up, I'm almost afraid to try," Cole said. "I don't know what I'd do with myself if . . ." He sighed again before turning back to Kai. "Nice gi. It suits you."

Kai fiddled with the hem of his sleeve. "It feels different than I thought it would. Kinda stiff. And I don't think it fits very well."

"You'll get used to it. In fact, you'll probably get so used to it you'll forget about everything else in your wardrobe. I think we've all accidentally gone out on the streets in our gis before." He sounded like he was trying to make a joke, but his face remained somber. Silence fell between them.

Kai scratched his head. What to say? He wanted more than anything to cheer up his brother, to convince him that everything was going to be alright and give him hope for the future. But Cole had a point. What if this lasted forever?

After another few moments, Kai said, "You remember when we found out that Zane was a robot?"

Cole nodded slowly. "Feels like ages ago."

"Yeah. Sometimes I forget that we every thought he was human. Sometimes I wonder how we didn't figure it out sooner." That, at least, earned a small smile from Cole. Kai pressed on. "I remember when you guys came back, and Zane pulled me aside to explain everything and even showed me all those switches in his chest. It was pretty shocking, but I still remember what I told him that day." He met Cole's gaze. "I told him that no matter what he's made of, he's still my brother."

"Same Zane," Cole said, half to himself. "Just more gears."

"Exactly." Kai rubbed his hands together, choosing his words carefully. "I don't know what you're going through, but I bet it probably feels like the end of everything you ever knew. But you're still the same Cole, and we're still your family, and we're all here to help you figure this thing out. Maybe everything is different now, but . . . you'll get used to it. Just like how I'll get use to being a . . . water ninja." It still felt weird to say out loud.

Cole nodded, but Kai couldn't guess what he was thinking. "Thanks, Kai."

More silence passed between them until Kai finally asked, "Sensei keeps telling me that I have to be like water, but I still can't figure out how to do that. Do you think I'm anything like water?"

"Sure."

Kai quirked an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't expected Cole to be so certain.

Cole shrugged. "I mean, yeah, you and your sister are _both_ kind of hot-heads. And I guess she's not even as impulsive as you are. But . . ." His features contorted as if he was searching the air for the words he needed to explain himself. "Let's put it this way: Nya's always ready to fight, anyone for practically any reason. And when we first met, I thought you're sister had all the gusto and you were just a simple villager."

Now Kai was looking at him like he was crazy. "What are you trying to say, man?"

"Okay, look, I've seen you about to throw down when one of us was in danger or something, even back when you didn't know the first thing about fighting technique. But beyond that, you don't really strike me as the fighting type. Nya's always been happy to be a ninja, but you never really seemed interested. Even now, I know the only reason you're doing this is for Lloyd. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, between the two of you, you're the more peaceful one at heart."

Kai was dumbfounded. He'd never thought of himself as 'peaceful' before.

Cole was still going. "If you hadn't been captured by Garmadon, and Nya hadn't insisted on moving you guys to the monastery with us, I think you would have been happy to live in your little village making weapons for the rest of your life."

That was somewhat true. Kai hadn't been looking for anything beyond Ignacia when all this started, and while some of the adventures his friends had sounded fun – and, admittedly, the few he'd been a part of were pretty exciting as well – he'd still been too focused on blacksmithing to consider becoming a part of what they did.

"And like just now," Cole added. "Even when my world seems like it's falling apart, you know exactly what to say. I guess when things are going pretty bad, your presence is just . . . peaceful."

"Huh." And yet, it didn't answer Kai's question. 'Peaceful' wasn't exactly a word that he would have used to describe the water. Of course he knew that most people thought of it that way, but it wasn't how Kai felt, and it wasn't something he could identify with.

"Hey, guys." They both turned to see Nya at the doorway. She wore a Deepstone gi like the others, but with red trim. "Misako's ready to debrief everyone on the next clue."

"Thanks, sis. We'll be there soon."

"Wow, Kai, never thought I'd see you in a gi! I love the color."

"Thanks," he said half-heartedly as she walked away.

"Thank _you,_ Kai." Cole got up and Kai followed suit. "At least if I have you guys, I know I'll be alright." He pulled Kai in for a hug, and Kai tried to hug him back, but his arms just went straight through him. For the first time, Kai had the thought that he might have been able to prevent this if he had been at the temple. Sensei Wu was right. Kai's friends needed him. And the longer it took for him to master his element, the more people would get hurt. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> coughcough*brotp*coughcough*
> 
> I always saw Kai as, like, a torch that guides his friends through their darkest moments. Like, when Jay's freaking out, it's usually Kai who comes up with a speech to encourage them forward. But when I was trying to think of it from the perspective of water I thought that it's kind of like how calming rain or the river can be. Idk, I just feel like Kai has this chill vibe about him whenever he's not fighting for his life or something, but maybe that's just me.


	5. Chapter 5

Needless to say, after his near-death experience, Kai refused to return to the beach, or any other large bodies of water, for that matter.

His mother was very disappointed. It was sad to think that he had come to fear something she had such a strong connection to, and it stung to hear him speak so terribly of the element that she loved and treasured so dearly.

"No! I hate the water! I'm not going to swim ever again, and you can't make me!" Kai shouted one day after his mother had pressed him a little too hard to try and conquer his fears.

She sighed, knowing that she had gone too far. She knew that his anger was just a product of his fear and realized now that it went deeper than she had first thought. Seeing how much it upset him, she couldn't begin to imagine how he felt.

"Alright, Kai. I understand. I won't force you to do anything you're uncomfortable with."

Kai crossed his arms. "I hate the stupid ocean," he repeated. "I'm never going to dip so much as a toe in the ocean ever again as long as I live!"

"But darling, you were named after the ocean," she reminded him.

"Well what did you do that for?"

Kai's mother smiled a bit in amusement. If only he understood.

She bent down and brushed some his wild hair away from his eyes. It was a shade lighter than her own, but had the same untamable ferociousness as his fathers. "Your father and I love the ocean," she explained. "The water is special to us, and your father wanted you to be named after something that we both care so much about because we knew we would share that same love for you."

For a moment, Kai said nothing. Then his gaze softened and he asked, "Can't I change my name?"

His mother smiled. "No. We like your name." She pulled him forward and kissed the top of his head. "And I hope that someday you will, too."

* * *

Kai stood leaning against a basin by the pond behind the tea shop, watching water drip out of a pipe. While the others were busy fortifying the tea shop, he was busy trying to master his element at the last possible second. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he willed the water to obey him and flow backwards. "Come on . . . come on . . ." he muttered under his breath. He was trying to keep his thoughts focused on the water, but all he could think about was the incessant whistling in the background.

He turned on Ronin. "Would you stop that?"

Ronin glanced at him. "What, washing R.E.X.? I've got to keep her clean, so she –"

"I mean your whistling! I can't reverse the flow if I can't concentrate, and I can't concentrate with all that noise!"

Ronin smirked. "Yeah, sure, _I'm_ the problem."

"Don't you have someone to go con right now?"

Ronin pretended to glance at a watch he didn't have. "Not until four."

Kai wished that he could control the water, even if only to dowse Ronin for being so annoying.

"Besides, I'd much rather watch you have a meltdown over a few drops of water." Ronin picked up his bucket and walked to the pond to refill it.

Kai sighed to himself as his anger was replaced with a sense of defeat. "It's is useless. Sensei Wu still thinks that if I get over my fear of water I'll be able to control it. But it's not that easy."

"You don't say," Ronin muttered half-heartedly as he filled up his bucket.

Kai eyed the rushing waterfall at the opposite end of the pond. "Even if I wasn't so afraid of it, I could never be like the water. It's cold and unforgiving. It grabs hold of you and drags you under, beats you down just to make you suffer a slow, lonely death. Water may give life, but it's just as happy to take it away."

Ronin let out a long, low whistle. "Wow. You've got some issues. You know, most people consider water to be calming."

"That's because they don't know what it's really capable of," Kai retorted. "But it's just as dangerous as Nya's fire."

"Hmm." Ronin paused as he seemed to think about this. "You bring up an interesting point. Sure, fire's dangerous. But it can also be warm and comforting. Under the right circumstances, a good fire can be a lifesaver." Ronin chuckled to himself as he got to his feet and moved back towards REX. "Not too unlike your sister, huh?"

"You stay away from her," Kai growled. Kai wasn't usually very protective of Nya – ever since they were children she had proven time and time again that she could take care of herself be strong enough for both of them – but he would always want to look out for her. He didn't have a problem with Jay because he knew Jay – and more importantly, Jay knew _him_. But Ronin was a wild card, and Kai didn't like the way he talked about his sister.

Ronin raised his free hand as a sign of surrender. "Relax, I'm not _that_ dumb. Nya would fry me in a heartbeat if only I gave her a reason," he said with a shudder. "But I think you have more important things to worry about."

Kai frowned in confusion when Ronin pointed. Following his gaze, he turned and saw that the water droplets he had been trying to control earlier had started flowing backward! "I – I did it? I did it!" Kai cheered.

But how? He hadn't even been thinking about reversing the flow anymore. He'd just been thinking about Nya.

Ronin seemed to read his thoughts as he piped up again. "See. All you need is the right motivation. Maybe it just depends on the way you look at it."

"What do you mean?" Kai asked. For a moment he ignored the fact that it was Ronin, of all people, who he was asking for advice. There were more important things at stake, and Kai would give anything to figure this out and have it over with.

Ronin rolled his eyes and Kai resisted the urge to throttle him. "Yeesh, when did I become your sensei? Look, it's obvious you're more in-touch with your power when your focused less on your fears and more on protecting your friends. I guess you're desire to protect them or whatever makes you stronger." Ronin dunked his brush and went back to washing REX. "But I bet those ghosts would be intimidated by your strength – just like how the ocean's power intimidates you. See? Everything's not so black-and-white. It depends which side you're standing on."

Kai frowned as he thought hard on this. Was Ronin right? Was he simply looking at the ocean in the wrong way?

But that was ridiculous! It had nothing to protect when it had tried to drown him. He'd done nothing wrong! And besides, it was a force of nature. That was partially what scared him so much. The ocean wasn't for or against anyone, it simply didn't care.

Kai glared at the dripping pipe, which had now returned to its normal flow. He tried to think about Lloyd in the possession of Morro. He thought about Nya and Jay and Cole and Zane trying to fight against something they couldn't even touch. They wouldn't stand a chance unless he could get this thing under control.

Nothing happened. The water just kept _drip . . . drip . . ._ dripping on. It didn't care whether his friends lived or died.

With a growl of frustration, Kai kicked the stone basin – and immediately regretted it. He hissed and gripped the rim of the basin to take the weight off of his throbbing foot. He threw a glare back at Ronin, as if this was all his fault.

Then Kai sighed to himself. He obviously had the power. But would he ever be able to control it?

He'd have to. He didn't have a choice if he wanted his friends, his _family_ to be safe. Because if Ronin was right about one thing, it was that Kai wanted to protect them to the best of his ability.

What was that thing Nya and the others were always saying?

Ninja never quit.

Well, if Kai had to be a ninja, then he wasn't going to quit until he had tamed this untamable element.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting yesterdayyy

The _Destiny's Bounty_ swayed gently from side to side. Kai stood at the deck, watching the water rolling underneath the boat. Beside him, Misako was keeping an eye on Morro's lackeys in the other ship in the distance. Kai took deep, steadying breaths, trying to push down his anxiety. The ship was just as steady in the water as it was in the air, he reminded himself. Besides, she'd sailed in the ocean before. There was nothing for him to be afraid of.

In fact, he was in far less danger now than the others were.

According to the coordinates Ronin had given them – the _real_ coordinates this time, Kai hoped – the tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master was underneath the ship. His friends were currently submerged under tons of pressurized water. Anytime he managed to stop thinking about the possibility of the ship sinking, his mind instead thought about his family drowning beneath him.

_I should be down there,_ he thought. But truthfully, he was grateful that he wasn't.

He took another deep breath. He tried instead to think about the things that Cole and Ronin had said to him recently. About perspective and the way he wanted to protect his friends.

Kai tried to imagine the water as a barrier. Instead of threatening to crush his friends, it was protecting them. After all, it was the one thing keeping Soul Archer and Bansha from going down there as well. Miles and miles of water stood between the ghosts and the tomb. Perhaps the others would even stand a better chance against Morro.

Kai was stirred from his thoughts by Sensei Wu's approach. "Why so concerned?" Wu asked, referring to Misako.

Kai noticed for the first time how tense she was as she lowered her spyglass and answered, "Their ship went behind that rock five minutes ago but still hasn't passed."

Sensei Wu clearly found this just as concerning. "Raise the sails," he urged. "Now!"

But before any of them could act, the missing ship came barreling around the rock spire towards them. It was soon accompanied by the high-pitched whine of one of Soul Archer's arrows zipping through the air.

"Kai!" Wu exclaimed.

Kai already knew what he was going to say and his heart lurched at the thought. It was now or never!

Raising his arms, Kai pulled at the water with all his might. The arrow's screams rang through his ears as it drew closer. If it hit, then he would be at the mercy of the ocean.

_No,_ he thought. _Forget about me. I have to protect Wu and Misako!_ If they went in the water, it wouldn't take long before the ghosts reached them, or worse, another one of Soul Archer's arrows. Right now the water was their only hope.

Kai closed his eyes and grit his teeth as he pulled, willing the ocean to obey him. He could feel it now, the power of the ocean swelling in his chest as if it came from his own strength. The sound of rushing water nearly drowned out the whistling arrow as Kai lifted a curtain of water high over their heads. Only when he was sure that the arrow had been disintegrated did he release the water. It dropped into a wave that rocked the whole boat.

Kai clung to the railing again, breathing heavily. He'd actually done it! And on purpose, this time!

"Hurry Misako," Wu was saying. "I said 'Raise the sails!'"

"Not Misako," the older woman said in a voice very unlike her own. She turned to Wu, her eyes lit by an unnatural green light. "Only Bansha!"

Kai would have stopped her before she could attack, but another shrill cry signaled more arrows approaching. Kai braced himself and raised the sheet of water again. It was slightly easier this time, but heavy as it was, Kai knew he wouldn't be able to keep it up forever.

Behind him, he could hear Sensei Wu struggling against the possessed Misako. "I can't hold it for long!" Kai warned.

"Bansha is controlling her, and I can't remember how to stop the spell," Wu said.

Thinking quickly, Kai gingerly lowered one hand, making sure he could keep the water high enough with just the other. "Does this refresh your memory?" He summoned a jet of water from his palm, dowsing Misako.

She gasped and then looked around herself in surprise. "What just happened?"

While Wu made sure that she was okay, Kai realized that the scream of arrows had stopped. Slower this time, he set the water back down, making sure to be ready for any more surprises. But when he finally let it go and could see across the ocean, he found that the ghosts had crashed their ship against one of the rock spires. They now struggled to hover over pieces of the boat that were still protruding above water.

"Well done, Kai," Wu congratulated him. "It seems you've gained control of your element, after all."

Kai breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the ship's rail. Maybe he and the water could learn to work together after all. 


	7. Chapter 7

Kai was only five years old when his parents disappeared. His sister, however, was only three.

Imagine, a five-year-old and a three-year-old suddenly find themselves completely alone in the world, left to fend for themselves and wonder why their parents left them. They both had to grow up very fast. But perhaps, most of all, Kai.

When Kai finally realized that his parents were really gone, that they weren’t nearby and they weren’t playing a game and they weren’t coming back anytime soon, he went straight back to his sister. He didn’t cry, not immediately. He focused taking care of Nya first.

He led her back inside, because they weren’t supposed to play outside without someone to watch them. He got her something to eat (thankfully there was whole bowl of fruit where he could reach) and when she asked where Mom and Dad were, he told her that they would be back soon. He even made Nya take a bath and put her to bed, all the while telling her that she’d see their parents when they woke up.

But that night, Kai couldn’t sleep. He stayed up and watched out the window, hoping and praying that his parents would return. He did cry then, wondering what he would do if they didn’t come back, wondering what might have taken them and if it would come for him and his sister, too. Their dad had told them stories about monstrous snake creatures that would raid villages and gobble people up. It was a long night for him.

In the morning, Kai’s words weren’t enough for Nya, and when she started crying, he stopped. He had to stay strong for her. He made do with what he could and continued to take care of his little sister to the best of his ability. He was too afraid to leave the house, and it wasn’t until a few days later that someone finally came by and found out that the children were alone.

Kai continued to watch over Nya as they grew up. As she got older, she started to become more independent, and he had to start letting his little sister take care of him as much as he took care of her. Between foster homes and orphanages, they were the only constant thing in each other’s lives, and so they held each other close.

Kai eventually had to stop blaming mythical snake people for what had happened to his parents and, for a while, bounced between the idea that either they had abandoned him, or something far worse had happened. Either way, he had no way of knowing, so he learned to let it go.

He thought that his life would even out and become steady when he was old enough to take Nya and return to their childhood home to restart his family’s old blacksmithing business. But then he was kidnapped by Garmadon, and Nya became a Fire Ninja, and things just got weirder. Turns out snake monsters were a real thing, they were just too trapped to be kidnapping people.

Life went on, and Kai had to adapt to all sorts of new situations. He learned to live as part of a family that was bigger than he could have ever dreamed, he learned to live in the sky and even the ocean without feeling panicky. And he learned to start trusting in people again, to open himself up to new relationships without the fear that they would leave him. Kai had gone through so many changes in his life, it had become second nature to embrace anything new and learn how to reshape himself to fit the circumstances. He almost thought he could handle anything life would throw at him.

That is, until Master Wu asked him to become a Water Ninja. That was certainly the hardest change of all. 

But at least, this time, he had his family to help him with it.

* * *

Shortly after the scuffle with Bansha and Soul Archer, the team returned from the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master with a weary Lloyd in tow. Kai just about tackled his little brother gave him the biggest bear hug that he’d ever given him.

“It’s good . . . to see you . . . too . . .” Lloyd choked out.

Kai finally let him go so he could breathe again. “Man, if I see Morro, I’m gonna blast him with so much water that he’ll be pouring it out his ears from the Cursed Realm for weeks.”

“You’ll . . . what? Kai, why are you dressed like a ninja?”

On the way back to the tea shop, Kai told Lloyd about his newfound abilities, and Sensei Wu recounted the way Kai had harnessed the water to save them moments ago. Kai basked in his friends’ praise as a newfound sense of pride washed over him. He never knew that being a ninja could be as rewarding as blacksmithing. Gaining some control over his element felt almost as good as forging the perfect sword.

When they got back to the tea farm, Cyrus Borg had already begun making preparations to help them fight Morro. He’d made brand new ghost-busting vehicles for Jay, Zane, and Cole. Kai had to admit, he was a little jealous. If he was a ninja now, shouldn’t he be getting cool stuff like that, too?

He was brought back to the present conversation when Borg mentioned Morro.

“I hear Morro has opened a bridge between our two realms,” he said. “It’ll take time for the Preeminent to cross.”

Sensei Wu nodded. “Which is why we need Lloyd to use his powers to destroy the Realm Crystal before that happens. If Ninjago is cursed, the other realms are sure to follow.”

“But they’ll be expecting us,” Nya pointed out. “And Morro still has the Sword of Sanctuary. Even with all these fancy new vehicles, how are we supposed to get close?”

Jay pulled up in his blue Ghost-Taker beside them. “Yeah! We’re supposed to take on an army of ghosts?”

“Maybe I can lure him out,” Lloyd suggested. “He said he always wanted to be the Green Ninja.”

Kai didn’t like the sound of Lloyd putting himself in the line of fire like that. Not after everything the others had gone through to get him back.

“No,” Sensei said, to Kai’s relief. “He will not leave the Realm Crystal unguarded until his master is freed.”

“But even with our powers back,” Cole said, “he’s seen all of our moves.”

Kai got a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach as something else came to mind. He’d only just managed to get some semblance of control over his elemental power, but maybe it was time for him to step it up. After all, Sensei Wu often said that experience was the best teacher.

“Then we’ll show him something he hasn’t . . .” Kai said, half to himself. He lifted his head. “A Water Ninja!”

“But, Kai . . .” Nya looked worried, and he understood her hesitation. “You only just started your training. And you haven’t even found your true potential. Are you sure about this?”

The only thing he was sure of was that he didn’t want to get left behind again to worry over his friends. Maybe he wasn’t ready. But that had never stopped him before. Ninja or not, he’d have to accept his role if Ninjago was to survive.

“I want to do this,” he said. “Besides, you didn’t see that awesome wave I created back there. I’d say I’ve got a pretty good handle on my powers already.” It wasn’t entirely true, he wasn’t even sure if he could do it again if he had to. But he had to shake this doubt that was holding him, or he’d never get anywhere. Confidence, he’d learned, was also a pretty good teacher.

Nya smiled. “If you say so. You’ve always backed me up as a ninja, and even long before that. Now it’s time I return the favor.

“Kai’s right,” Cole agreed. “He’s our greatest weapon.”

“Brother sharpens brother, sibling sharpens sibling,” Zane said, nodding between Kai and Nya. “We’ll all be there to help you along the way.”

Lloyd came and put a hand on Kai’s shoulder. “Our greatest power isn’t what we can throw at him. It’s what we have right here. A united team.”

Kai noticed that Nya looked thoughtful. “But if they know we’re coming straight for them, how about we show them not every path is a straight line?”

Zane cocked his head. “Intrigued. Do you have a plan?”

Nya nodded.”I’ll explain on the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, Nya, for that perfect segue for me to end the chapter on. Also, I'm not 100% certain when Lloyd would have found out (in the show) that that Nya's a water ninja, so correct me if I was wrong on that.


	8. Chapter 8

Kai ran through the battered streets of Stiix, avoiding the ghosts as best he could. All around him his friends were creating distractions to get the ghosts off his tail until he could get close enough to Morro. If Kai could just draw him away from the Realm Crystal, Lloyd could get close enough to destroy it.

The green gi he was wearing was even more uncomfortable than his own gi. It was heavier with the Deepstone armor, and a little tight considering that it was tailored to Lloyd and not him. But he _looked_ enough like the green ninja, and that was all he needed. Morro wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

High above Kai, ghostly dragons wheeled in the sky. He glanced up as one roared overhead, and wondered if it had spotted him, and if they were able to communicate with the ghosts. His question was answered when he was stopped short by a ghostly figure rising before him.

"Look what we have here." It was Soul Archer, and he had an arrow trained on Kai.

There was movement behind him and Kai turned to see that Morro was already there with a couple more ghosts. They soon had him surrounded.

"The Green Ninja," Morro drawled. "So rude. Hasn't anyone told you it's not polite to be late to the party?"

Kai had to resist the urge to deck him on the spot. Part of his job was to buy Lloyd time, so he bit his tongue as they led him to Ronin's old shop where they had set up base. Blue light flashed through the windows, confirming that the crystal was active inside. The ghosts forced him to his knees in front of Morro.

"Now that we've got him," Bansha said, "What do you want us to do with him?"

"Surely it's not just you. I know your ninja are never far." Morro glanced around, as if he expected the rest of the ninja to leap out at any moment. "Come out, come out wherever you are!" Morro called. "I have your beloved Green Ninja."

Kai tried to ignore Morro's taunting and readied himself to fight. He focused in on the water he could feel all around him and directly under his feet. But Morro's annoying voice was difficult to block out.

"You think you can come into my home and steal the crystal I rightfully earned? You think I'll just hand it to you just like the green gi was handed to you? Tell me, tell all of us that I'm better than you, and I'll let you go." Morro made the mistake of pushing Kai down, and that was about all he could take.

While he was still solid, Kai kicked Morro in the gut, sending him sprawling backwards. Before the other ghosts could react, Kai leapt to his feet and removed his own mask.

Kai thought about summoning water, and to his relief, a rippling ball of water actually formed over his hand. Kai grinned. "You're in deep water, now, Morro."

Morro gaped. "He's a water ninja. He's – Protect the Realm Crystal!"

A handful of ghosts closed in around Kai, but he just turned and shot them each with a jet of water, and they disappeared in a cloud of green smog. A couple more tried to sneak up on him from behind, but he spun and sprayed them, too.

When he turned back to Morro, the ghost was already backing away slowly. Kai smirked. "Where ya goin'? I thought party just started!" Kai raised his arms and called for as much water as he could summon and threw it at Morro. But Morro just held it back with a mighty gust of air, until Kai had to drop it and water splashed all over the wooden planks.

Morro then leapt into the air, floating above Kai's head, and blasted him with winds so strong that Kai had to throw up his arms to shield his face as he slid backwards . As soon as he relented, Kai tried hitting him with another stream of water. It was difficult to shoot it at him with enough pressure to reach so high up, and Morro meeting his shots with air didn't help.

But at least the plan was working so far. Morro was distracted, and Kai was getting some pretty good target practice. What better way to train your newfound elemental abilities than by fighting for your life?

Kai tried to find a different angle to attack from, but Morro hit him with a gust so strong that it sent Kai flying through the air. He landed hard on the creaky wooden planks and was reminded that deep waters lay waiting below the precarious stilted town.

_Relax_ , Kai told himself. _I control the water now._

Kai was shook his head clear only to see that the ghosts he'd already taken out had returned and were coming for him again. Kai pushed himself back to his feet and dowsed them all. They vanished again, and Kai hoped that they would stay down this time.

A distant roar caught his attention. Kai turned his head to see a couple of the ghostly dragons looking right at him. They dipped towards him, and Kai hesitated, unsure if he would be able to summon enough water to get rid of the large creatures.

Kai saw a flash of white out of the corner of his eye, and the next second, the dragons were enveloped in a block of ice. Zane's mech had come to his rescue. Just as he'd said, Kai's friends were still there to watch his back. But there were more ghosts coming now, and Kai didn't have the time to thank him.

Before he knew it, Kai was surrounded again. There were too many ghosts for him to shoot all at once, and they just kept coming back when he did. He shot one, then another, trying to create a space large enough for him to get through. The ghosts crept slowly closer, just waiting for him to slip up so they could attack.

An explosion in a distant part of the town caught Morro's attention from where he was watching the fight on the roof. "The ninja are winning!" Kai heard him tell his subordinates. "Get out there and stop them!"

Only a few of them floated away, and Kai was still trapped. He nailed a couple more ghosts, but seconds later they came floating out the doorway once again. They almost seemed to be coming back faster and faster every time he took them out.

"Seriously? Isn't it time for you guys to take a break or something?"

They all rushed him at once, and Kai sprayed them in a wide arc. Morro created another huge blast of wind that knocked Kai hard on his back.

He landed near a gap in the planks, where he could hear the water lapping indifferently at the supports under him. "I could use a little help here" he said, as if the water was a creature that could hear him. "It's not enough, I can't keep up with all of them." Almost as if in response, Kai got an idea.

As another wave of ghosts filed out towards him, Kai got back to his feet and reached for the water below. There was another gap in front of Kai and as the ghosts drew near, Kai raised the water up and created a geyser, shooting through the hole and between the planks to drench the ghosts until they dissipated.

That, at least, gave him a moment's respite. Kai leapt onto the roof next to Morro. Hethrew jets of water at him like he would throw punches, but Morro just blew him backwards off the roof and Kai sailed through the air, landing once again on the planks below.

"Is that all?" Morro jeered. "Is that all you've got?"

Kai rubbed the back of his head. "Come on, man, I've only been training for a few days. What more do you want?"

But when Kai had finally shaken the stars from his eyes, the ghosts were back, closing in quickly. He lifted one arm, but he didn't know if he had the strength left to fight back.

Then there was a burst of green light and Kai had to shield his eyes. When he looked again, Lloyd was there and all the ghosts were gone.

Kai was, admittedly, relieved to see Lloyd, but Kai was supposed to be keeping Morro occupied so Lloyd could sneak inside to the crystal. But truthfully, Kai wasn't sure how much longer he could keep it up on his own.

"Go on," Kai said. "I wore him out for you."

Lloyd went to meet Morro, and Kai hung back for a moment to catch his breath. He wasn't used to this much action. But he watched Lloyd, ready to jump back in if he was needed. It was a lot better than having to watch helplessly from the sidelines. 

“Stay strong, kid," Kai whispered. "You're not alone." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure how I feel about this chapter... Kind of hard to make a background fight very interesting. Oh well, it is what it is. I'm thinking there's only gonna be one more left, so stay tuned.


	9. Chapter 9

Destroying the Realm Crystal turned out to be a lot harder than they had thought. Even when Lloyd held it in his hands, he hesitated a moment too long, and the Preeminent was able to successfully make it into the Realm of Ninjago.

Kai was disappointed to say that he let Lloyd slip out of his reach _again,_ and he was starting to think that even as a water ninja, he was still useless to his friends.

When it was evident that they had no immediate way of stopping the Preeminent, it became a race to get the civilians out of her reach. Then Lloyd momentarily returned, and he had a plan to drown her in the sea. But even as this new strategy started to prove successful, the ghosts began using the village around them to counteract and created legs for her to stand on, and arms for her to fight with. Still, the ninja fought on, even harder as the Preeminent stepped into the sea, hardly fazed by the water, wading toward the boatload of defenseless civilians.

Kai was blasting as many ghosts as he could with jets of water. It seemed that no matter what they did, the ghosts just kept coming, and the Preeminent didn't slow down at was too distracted to notice Soul Archer sneaking up on them until one of his whistling arrows narrowly missed hitting Kai's head.

Kai whipped around to see that he was nocking another arrow.

"Kai, watch out!" his sister yelled.

Kai ducked and the arrow missed, but he lost his footing and slipped off the giant's makeshift limb. He tumbled through the air, the jumbled buildings flying past him.

"I've got you!" Cole was further below, and held his arms up to catch Kai. In the moment, Kai expected it to work. But what they both forgot was that Cole was still a ghost, and as a result, Kai fell right through him.

Thinking fast, Kai spotted part of another building jutting out below him. He reached for it with one hand and finally jerked to a stop just above the sea.

He glanced fearfully at the water below. "I can't swim!" he called. He may be a Water Ninja, but that didn't change the part where he'd never learned how to keep himself afloat.

"I can't get wet!" Cole called back.

The others were still too far away. As Kai tried to reach up with his other hand, the rotting wood in snapped, and he plummeted into the sea.

The water gripped him in its cold embrace, and panic washed over him as he was submerged, only to bob back up a second later gasping for breath. He reached out blindly and found the wooden shambles of the Preeminent's makeshift leg again, and he clung to it tight, afraid to let go and be lost to the tide.

But as he was blinking the water from his eyes, he looked up to see that Soul Archer was back, drawing his bow again. With no other option, Kai took a deep breath and dived back under.

Still, he could hear Soul Archer's taunting voice say, "You have to come up for air at some time, 'Water Ninja.'" The way he said it, Kai could hear the mocking in his tone.

And he was right. Kai hadn't grown gills when he became a ninja. He felt trapped, knowing that, whether it was Soul Archer's arrow or the water itself, something was about to do him in. And Soul Archer knew it, too. Kai was hardly a Master of Water if he couldn't even keep his own element from killing him.

_Get it together!_ He told himself. _The water's your friend. Stop being afraid and_ use _it!_

He could feel his lungs straining. No, he'd decided a long time ago that drowning would be the worst way for him to die. It was now or never.

At the same time that his head broke the surface, Kai pushed his hands forward with all his might, creating a wave that surged and curled over the ghost, leaving no escape. The archer was washed away, and Kai was allowed to catch his breath for a moment.

Kai then hauled himself up the haphazard houses, and a little ways up, Jay held out a hand to help him onto a more stable area.

"Nice!" Jay said. "One more ghost is toast!"

But as the Preeminent roared above, Kai glanced up to see Soul Archer come out cackling, hardly inconvenienced, merely displaced.

Kai groaned. "Are you kidding me?" Nothing they did seemed to be working, and where they were only six ninja, they Preeminent had an invincible army.

Below, the Preeminent took another massive step, creating a wave that rocked the boat full of people ahead.

"We obviously aren't doing any good here," Nya said. "We need to protect the ship."

As the others Airjitzu-ed back onto the ship, Kai took a deep breath and threw a wary glance at the sea. He made a running leap and buoyed himself up by creating jets of water from his hands, just long enough to get him safely onto the deck.

But as it turned out, 'safe' was just a relative term. The boat was low on fuel, and their only option was to hope that the trench ahead would be deep enough to drown the Preeminent. There was no telling if they'd make it, but they had no other choice.

The Preeminent was following close behind, and though they tried to pick up speed, she reached out with one of her makeshift hands and ripped the rudder clean off. At that same moment, a portal opened in the sky, and Morro fell through, closing it right back up behind him. Lloyd was nowhere to be seen.

Kai watched, at first in horror, then in anger. Kai had failed, once again, to protect Lloyd. Even after all his training and all his effort to overcome his fear, he'd still let his brother fight alone. And now these people were going to suffer the same fate.

Kai wasn't like his mother, calm and gentle. And he wasn't like the harsh ocean, either. All he felt now was anger and frustration. He was burning with rage directed at the Preeminent for attacking all these innocent people, and at Morro for deserting Lloyd who-knows-where. And he was angry at himself for not being able to pull himself together when his friends really need him.

All around him, the citizens of Stiix ran screaming to the far end of the boat, as far as they could get when they were now set aimlessly adrift in the sea. They had but one hope left. But Kai didn't know if he had it in himself to do what needed to be done.

He looked down at his hands, wondering if he really had the power. He had lived his whole life not knowing what he was capable of. And yet, ever since he'd started to gain some control over his element, he'd used it to keep himself and his friends safe. It was there, flowing just beneath the surface. Kai started to realize something then, that it wasn't just the water that had helped him before. That was _him,_ embracing his what was inside him and using it to take action.

Sensei Wu's words echoed in his mind: _"Until you embrace what holds you back, you'll never discover your True Potential."_

Closing his eyes, Kai slowed his breathing and blocked out the commotion. He tried to picture in his mind's eye a smooth, steady river. He could see it running over a bed of stones as it meandered gently through a forest that was lush from its life-giving waters, and safe by its strong current.

_"You must learn to identify with water, Kai . . . You must become as one."_

The river was soothing to those that retreated to its banks, yielding to the shape of the land and yet strong enough to carve its own path over time. But most importantly, it was a strong refuge, a barrier, to those in and around it.

Now Kai envisioned that same river growing stronger as it flowed into rapids. The current picked up until it surged with a deadly force. It was crashed against the rocks and crushed anything caught in its grasp.

_That power is mine now,_ Kai thought. He didn't just control the water, it was a part of him.

Kai opened his eyes again as droplets of water rose up from the ocean and blew about as if in a violent gale. Before he knew what was happening, he was surrounded by the water and was lifted into the air. He could feel its power making him stronger. It wasn't as calm or as gentle as he would have imagined, rather it bubbled like a storm trapped inside of him.

He seized hold of the sea and pulled it toward him, building up a wave large enough to challenge the Preeminent. Then he sent it crashing down over her, tugging her into the pull of the ocean. Panicked ghosts scrambled like a disturbed hive as their queen and only protection was dragged under.

Kai was then released from the sudden burst of energy and landed back on the ship's deck. His friends ran to his side. They watched while the Preeminent thrashed about, struggling to keep above the water.

But the ocean's pull was too strong, and she was dragged deeper and deeper. She growled and reached for the ship, but just barely fell short. Then she finally fell forward with a huge _splash_ that rippled under the little boat. Kai could see Morro leap off and struggle to hold himself aloft with his elemental power. Green smog hissed on the ocean's surface as the ghosts fell prey to it as well. The Preeminent's tentacles thrashed until her 'head' finally sunk beneath the waves.

The ocean fell silent.

Then cheers erupted on the ship.

Nya threw her arms around him. "You did it!"

"Yes! Take _that!"_ Kai pumped his fist. He could believe he'd finally found his True Potential!

"Great job, buddy!" Cole said, clapping Kai on the back with a solid hand.

Jay shrugged. "Eh, not as cool as _my_ True Potential, but still impressive, I guess."

The sky was growing lighter, and now that the fog had passed, one could see that the sun was rising over the sea. Finally, it could rise once again on another peaceful day.

"I hope this means that you'll be joining us from now on," said Zane.

Kai shrugged. "Maybe. But, to be honest, I hope this is it for a while. Overcoming your greatest fear is pretty exhausting."

Jay had snuck over to the edge of the boat with a mischievous smile. He cupped his hands and leaned down to gather up a handful of water. Just as Kai spoke, Jay squirted him in the face.

"Agh!" Kai leapt back in surprise and Jay burst out laughing.

"I guess it's not so easy, either," he teased.

Kai growled as he wiped his face dry on his sleeve. Then he waved his hand and brought down a wave that managed to soak no one but Jay. This earned a good laugh from everyone around.

"Aw, come on man, it was just a joke," Jay protested, his teeth chattering in the cold dawn air. Nya held her hands toward him in an effort to warm him up.

After that, Sensei Wu was able to use the Realm Crystal to open another portal, and Lloyd dropped through, unharmed.

"Good to have you back," Zane said. "You just missed –"

"Oh, I know what I missed." Lloyd removed the Sword of Sanctuary from his back. "I got a glimpse of what would happen next and knew Morro had to return alone." He looked to Kai. "Just 'cause I'm the Green Ninja doesn't mean I have to save the day. Especially when I have friends to rely on."

While Jay tried to get Lloyd to tell them about what all the other realms were like, Kai stepped away and took a moment to admire the ocean.

It glittered silver in the pale dawn light, and he felt a new sense of peace as he listened to the water lapping against the gently rocking boat. Maybe now he could see why people found it so calming. Kai took a deep breath and looked to the sky, thinking of his mother. He knew she would be proud of him. And he was proud of her, too.

He felt that he was ready for the future, and whatever it held for him as the new Master of Water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cue Ocean Man song*
> 
> Okay, that's the end of the story. Yay, so proud of you, Kai! At some point I would definitely like to do a sort of prequel exploring Nya as the Fire Ninja and how she got her True Potential. Buuuuut I'm pretty busy right now, so there's no telling when I'll finish that. Hope you enjoyed the story, thanks so much for reading!


End file.
